HDTV sets now in 81% of US homes

Some 81% of US households now have at least one high definition TV set, up from 46% of US households five years ago, according to Leichtman Research Group.

The new research found that 52% of all US households have multiple HDTVs, compared to just 17% five years ago. Including non-HDTV households, 65% of all TV sets used in US households are now HDTVs – compared to 24% in 2009 and 3% in 2004.

Other findings of the report include 89% of HDTV households, and 91% of multi-HDTV households, subscribe to a pay TV service, compared to 67% of non-HDTV households.

Some 52% of people who bought a TV set in the past year have a smart TV, with around 11% of all TVs used in US households now thought to be connected smart TVs.

“While HDTV now seems commonplace in the US, much of the growth of HD has come in recent years. Over the past five years, more than one-third of all US households got their first HDTV,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group.

In terms of Ultra HD, the research found that 41% of US adults have now heard of 4K Ultra HDTV, up from 30% last year, with 26% of those who have seen a 4K HDTV claiming they are interested in getting one.